Thill-coupling



W. MUNSON. Thill-Ooupling.

No. 228,832. Patented June 15,1880,

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WILLIAM MUNSON, OF HYDE PARK, PENNSYLVANIA.

THlLL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 228,832, dated June 15, 1880.

Application filed January 2, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MUNsoN, of Hyde Park, city of Scranton, in the county of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thill or Shaft Couplings for Vehicles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accom panying drawings, and to letters of referthis specification.

My invention consists in a special construction of the draw-iron and of the shaft-iron, and in the manner, and means whereby the latter is applied to and held to place by the draw-iron, and in a rubber plug having a special form adapted to these parts and inserted in'a special and novel manner.

Figure l is a iew of the shaft-iron Fig. 2, of the draw-iron; Fig. 3, of the rubber, and Fig. 4 of these parts put together for use.

The draw-iron A is shown without its clip or means for fastening it to the axle, which may be of any well-known kind.

bis a central longitudinal cut or opening, and c a concentric or arched transverse cut or opening at the forward end of the draw-iron, this. curve being described about a center or concentric bearing, (1, and the result of such cuts is to afford two long and backwardlyturned hooks, e e, which reach back. and extend over the centers d.

The rear wall, f, slants slightly forward from its top to bottom.

The shaft iron G is provided with two curved or arched side pieces or knuckles, h h, (one at each side,) projecting from its shank i, and also with a stop or extension, j, on its top, the knuckles h it being adapted in size and in curvature to be received within the curved slots or openings 0 c, and to be moved therein around the centers (1, which are partial cylinders.

K is an india-rubber piece or plug of pecuthill-iron is in place and down to its lowest position, to be inserted in that rear part of the slot oropening b not occupied by the thill-iron. This rubber K is made with a head, which prevents any possibility of its dropping through opening I), and it has a swell, l, 011 its front face to coincide with the centers or cylinders d and with the concave part at of the shaft-iron Gr.

To put the parts together the piece Gr must be placed nearly in a "ertical position, in order to permit its wings or knuckles h h to enter the mouths of the curved slots 0, after which it is turned down as far as it will gothat is, until the knuckles reach the lowest parts of these slots. N ext the elastic block or plug K is inserted, by its smaller or headless end, into the opening provided for it, as above stated, and pressed down to place by the thumb or fingers until its head brings it to a halt. The device is now ready for use; and the rubber not only looks the shaft-iron so that it cannot become accidentally dislodged, but it also acts as a spring and as a. deadener of sound and a preventive of rattling, at the same time permitting all requisite vertical movement of the shafts, the top extension or stop j in such case pressing against the head of the rubber plug with a good leverage.

The construction, it will be observed, is very simple, strong, and efficient There are no rivets or bolts to be lost and no bolt-holes to weaken the irons no journals, latches, screws, hinges, nuts, or clasps to render it complex and to get out of order-while the two parts A and G, even unaided by the rubber, are so interlocked as to be almost incapable of separation, under ordinary conditions, while the vehicle is in use.

I claim 1. In combination, the draw-iron A, as made with the opening I), concentric slots 0, and concentric bearing (1, and the shaft-iron Gr, as made with the lateral arched projections or knuckles h h, substantially as shown and described.

2. In combination with the draw-iron A and shaft-iron Gr, having the stop j, the elastic plug K, formed with a head and with a swell, l, and adapted to be inserted to place, as set forth.

WILLIAM MUN SON.

Witnesses J 0s. A. MEARS, (J. A. MpNsoN. 

